Teaching a dog to track is easiest when the dog is already trained to respond to commands, but even a puppy can start out with simple object-finding tasks. Grab a bag of strong-smelling treats, set aside several 15-minute training sessions each week, and start teaching your dog to follow a scent.

Ad

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Teaching a Dog to Find Objects

1

Use this method for puppies and dogs that aren't fully trained. The training methods in this section are simple to set up and use at home. If your dog doesn't respond to commands, or gets easily distracted by outdoor environments, start with this section.

If your dog responds to commands, you can try starting with the section on following a track or hunting instead, depending on how the dog will be using its new skill.

Ad

2

Schedule your training sessions when the dog is hungry. Feed the dog at the same time(s) every day. Train the dog right before the dog's mealtime, 3–6 days per week. Each session should only be about 15 minutes long, and end with the dog's meal so it has a positive association with completing the training.

3

Let the dog sniff an object. Show the dog the object you want it to find, and let it sniff it without taking it from your hand. Any of these objects will work:

If the dog responds to the name of an object, pick that so you can use it as a verbal command.

A treat with a strong smell, usually a small piece of cooked meat.

A beloved toy, especially one that you can hide a treat inside.

4

Hide the object under one of several boxes. Send the dog out of the room. Put the object underneath a box or cup, and place two or three other containers upside down next to it. Bring the dog back into the room, then use a command, such as "Find," to tell the dog to look for the hidden object. Reward the dog with a small treat once it succeeds.

5

Play fetch. Toss the object across the room while the dog is looking away, preferably behind a couch or other large object. Command the dog to find the object, and reward the dog with a treat when it succeeds.

6

Praise the dog. Praise the dog and pet it whenever it succeeds, as well as giving it a treat. Use positive feedback only, not scolding or punishment. Most dogs will not understand why you are punishing them, and it can make them afraid and unwilling to attend more training sessions.

Ad

Method 2 of 3: Teaching a Dog to Follow a Track

1

Find a grassy, undisturbed area. A lawn, park, or sports field are good areas to start training a dog to track. Find an area that is rarely used, or show up early in the morning before people and other pets have left their scent all over the grass.

You can use this method in conjunction with the "finding objects" method to begin training a search and rescue dog. For certification or more specialized training, such as water search training or cadaver training, find a local Search And Rescue (SAR) organizations and training clubs.

2

Command the dog to stay. Tell the dog to sit or lie down, and stay in position while you set up. If your dog does not respond well to commands, tie it to an object with a leash instead, or have someone hold it in place. Keep the dog in a position where it can't see you set up the track, so it can't rely on memory or eyesight.

3

Create a patch of strong scent. Rub your shoe into the grass to create a patch of strong scent. Crush the grass as you do this to release the plant scent as well. Finally, drop a small, strong-smelling treat onto the patch. A small piece of cooked meat usually works well.

4

Use additional patches to create a trail 5–10 feet (1.5–3 meters) long. Walk two or three steps away from the first patch, and repeat the scuffing and treat-dropping. Continue until you have several patches, making a trail in a straight line no more than 10 feet (3 meters) long.

End with a pile of several treats, or the dog's beloved toy, to make completing the trail extra enticing.

5

Quietly encourage the dog to track. Bring the dog near the start of the trail, and point it in the direction the trail continues. Let the dog search along the trail on its own, with you walking next to its shoulder. Praise it quietly when it sniffs or finds a treat, but don't distract it by being too loud or enthusiastic.

6

Repeat at least three times a week. If the dog is still happy and relaxed, you can repeat the exercise with a new trail. Keep each training session to no more than fifteen minutes, especially at the beginning when tracking is new to the dog. Do at least three training methods a week to keep the dog in practice.

7

Make the trail longer, and use less treats. As the dog continues to succeed, gradually extend the trail length, and the distance in between patches. Start placing treats on every other patch of scent, but continue to praise the dog whenever it finds a patch.

Keep the bonus treats at the end of the trail. The dog should be rewarded each time it finishes a trail, to keep it motivated.

8

Change the training sessions. At any point when the dog is doing well, you can introduce a change to the training session. Stick to only one of these per session, and repeat it until the dog is comfortable before you move on to something else:

Add curves or corners to the trail. You might want to bring along flags or stakes so you can keep track of where the trail is. Remove them if the dog figures out how to follow these markers without sniffing.

Have the dog sniff a sock or other strong-smelling object, and place that with a treat at the end of the trail. Rub it against the grass at each patch.

Bring the dog to an unfamiliar area, or one with a different kind of ground cover. Use a shorter trail than the dog is used to, since dirt or pine needles don't pick up scent as well as grass.

Ad

Method 3 of 3: Training a Dog to Track Prey

1

Choose your dog breed. Some dog breeds are better at tracking than others, and many breeds originated to track or kill a specific kind of animal. Look up your dog breed online to find out whether it is a good choice for the type of hunting you'll be doing. In general, dogs with longer snouts tend to be better at tracking.

German shepherds, spaniels, beagles, pointers, retrievers, and hounds are all well-known hunting breeds.

2

Find a dead animal or dummy. Pick the animal you want dog to track, so it will get used to the specific scent. You may shoot an actual animal yourself, and cut it open so there is blood for the dog to smell. Alternatively, use a dummy of that animal, then soak it in urine from the same animal, or in that animal's scent. Dummies and scents are available anywhere hunting supplies are sold.

3

Let the dog sniff the object. Show the dog the animal or dummy, and let the dog sniff it as much as it likes. If the dog is scared of the object, leave it on the ground for the dog to investigate, toss around, or play with until the dog is over its fear.

4

Wipe the object with a rag. Wipe a clean rag over the animal or dummy, picking up as much scent as possible. You'll use this to start the dog on the trail, as described below.

5

Drag the object to make a trail, then hide it. Tie a string or rope around the object the dog will be tracking. Out of the dog's sight, drag the object across the ground, leaving a scent trail. A straight trail about 75 ft (23 m) long is a good option for a beginning tracker. At the end of the trail, hide the animal or dummy underneath leaf cover or other loose objects, so the dog can't see it, but can smell it and uncover it.

6

Start the dog on the trail. Lead the dog to the location where you first started dragging the object. Hold the rag covered in the object's scent in front of the dog's nose, and let it sniff as long as possible. Give the dog a simple command, such as "Find" or "Track," that it will learn to associate with following a trail.

7

Reward the dog once it finds the objects. Let the dog search for the object. Only direct the dog back to the trail if it has completely lost the track, or gotten distracted. Once the dog finds the animal or dummy, reward it with a treat and praise.

8

Repeat several times a week. About 3–6 times a week, repeat this exercise. Keep each training session short, about fifteen minutes long, so the dog always ends before it is disappointed or frustrated. Gradually increase the length of the trail, the number of turns in the trail, or the types of terrain used to train the dog. Always reward the dog with a treat once the object is found.

9

Introduce the dog to a live animal. Once the dog has been trained for a few weeks and can track the object consistently and fairly quickly, it's time to introduce the dog to a live animal of the type it's been learning to track. If possible, use an animal that has already been captured, especially if the animal is capable of fighting back. Let the dog investigate the animal, so it learns what the animal is capable of and how to capture it, corner it, or send it fleeing.

Consult an experienced hunter for advice specific to the type of animal your dog is tracking.

Ad

We could really use your help!

Can you tell us about

Asking Permission to Go Out?

Yes

No

Can you tell us about

Gift Ideas?

Yes

No

Can you tell us about

wireless networking?

Yes

No

Can you tell us about

Skin Care?

Yes

No

Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about

...

Tell us everything you know here. Remember, more detail is better.

Tips

Provide details.

Please be as detailed as possible in your explanation. We will take your detailed information, edit it for clarity and accuracy, and incorporate it into an article that will help thousands of people.Don't say: Eat more fats.Do say: Add fats with some nutritional value to the foods you already eat. Try olive oil, butter, avocado, and mayonnaise.

Tips

A light wind is good for carrying scents, but too much wind can make tracking much more difficult. It is a good idea to begin with very little wind. As your dog increases their skill they will be able to tackle areas with more wind.

Share

Featured Articles

Meet a Community Member

Meet Gaurang, a wikiHowian from India who has been editing on wikiHow for over 3 years and is a Featured Author, New Article Booster, and Admin. He has patrolled over 14,500 changes and has made over 10,400 edits to improve articles around the site. He enjoys patrolling recent changes, boosting new articles, and voting in the NFD Guardian. His favorite article he’s worked on here is How to Use Google Drive, since collaboration between him and other community members turned it into a really informative and easy-to-understand guide. His proudest accomplishment on wikiHow has been starting the Hindi wikiHow, which provides access to how-tos in a language spoken by more than 500 million people worldwide. He says writing on wikiHow is a rewarding process, since you get to help millions of people everyday and learn things along the way. He loves how the wikiHow community is a caring, supportive, and dedicated bunch of people. To new editors, he says, “Don't be afraid to make mistakes and ask for help. There are many who are willing to help you out here!”